This invention relates to flexible hoses and more particularly to flexible hoses used in the food service industry for pre-rinsing dishes, pots, pans and the like.
In restaurant, hospital, dormitory and similar industrial kitchens it is important to thoroughly wash and sanitize the dishes, pots, pans, silverware and the like (hereinafter collectively referred to for convenience as "dishes") after each use since the same dishes are used repeatedly to prepare and serve food for many different people. If the dishes are not properly washed and sanitized, diseases or illnesses may be spread from one person to another or people may become ill from food poisoning or the like.
A problem encountered in properly cleaning dishes in industrial kitchens is that food or other waste often becomes caked onto the surface of the dishes after a meal, making it difficult to properly wash the dishes in a commercial dishwasher. The dishes must often be put through the dishwasher more than once to thoroughly clean and sanitize them. This is inefficient and time consuming.
In an effort to solve this problem, dirty dishes are often rinsed with a hot-water spray to soften and remove caked on food and other waste before placing the dishes in the dishwasher. This is commonly known in the food service industry as "pre-rinsing". Pre-rinsing usually takes place in an area near the dishwasher where there is a faucet to supply hot water. A spray head attached to a hose is used to rinse the dishes.
The standard pre-rinse spray hose is about four feet in length and comprises a flexible rubber tube covered by a flexible metal casing. Because the hoses are subject to rough handling and to large bending stresses when used to clean the large number of dishes washed in the typical industrial kitchen, the hoses often wear out quickly and break adjacent the connection to the faucet. Another problem encountered with these pre-rinse hoses is that the rubber tube and metal casing do not provide sufficient insulation for the hot water that is used to pre-rinse the dishes. Consequently, heat is lost as the water travels through the hose and the temperature of the water that reaches the dishes may be considerably less than the temperature at the faucet. This reduces the efficiency of the pre-rinsing process.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a pre-rinse hose that is flexible and easy to handle, but is sturdy in construction and will last longer than prior art hoses.
Another object of this invention is to provide a pre-rinse hose that effectively resists the bending stresses encountered in the area adjacent the connection to the faucet.
A further object of this invention is to provide a pre-rinse hose that is economical and efficient to manufacture.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a pre-rinse hose that is better insulated, but lighter in weight, than prior art hoses.
Further objects will become manifest from the description, drawings and claims.